Wearing Down
by profoundlycan
Summary: Alex has returned from Sweden with a new attitude and persona. He's confident, cool, and no longer the lovesick puppy that trailed hot on Isabel's heels. Unfortunately, his plan to rid himself of a fatal crush backfired; he's caught Isabel's interest.


**Title**: Wearing Down

**Disclaimer**: Nothing's mine, so don't sue.

**Rating**: K+

**Song**: _Don't Say You Love Me_, The Corrs

**Summary**: (This story is based on a song challenge by Chrisken at Roswell Fanatics.) Alex has returned from Sweden with a new attitude and persona. He's confident, cool, and no longer the lovesick puppy that trailed hot on Isabel's heels. Unfortunately, his plan to rid himself of a fatal crush backfired; he's caught Isabel's interest. After catering to her every whim for so long, will his feelings finally be reciprocated? Post-Disturbing Behavior.

.*.*.*.*.  
Alex: Don't worry about it.  
Isabel: Maybe we can do this some other time.  
Alex: Yeah, yeah, just let me know when it's good for you.  
.*.*.*.*.

_I've seen this place a thousand times.  
__I've felt this all before,__  
And every time you call I've waited there;  
As though you might not call at all._

Alex pestered with the sleeve of his shirt and once again looked to his watch. He was impatient for Isabel's arrival, and wondered if being alone with her would be bad for his health. She had called a half hour ago, telling him to set up his slide carousels and ready some popcorn because she was coming over. Though he hated himself for it, he had done so and was now waiting to hear a knock on the door.

It seemed after his transformation in Sweden, Isabel was interested in the new-and-improved Alex. After catering to her every whim for so long and being shotdown numerous times, he found that all he needed to do to catch her eye was travel to a foreign country and repress his feelings for her. He sighed as he thought of the situations that could arise from this revelation. Before Sweden, Alex would've climbed the highest mountain and jumped the tallest building to know that Isabel even remotely liked him. Now, he had no idea what his reaction would be.

Since moving to Roswell in fifth grade and having laid eyes on Isabel Evans, he always had a nagging tug that there was more to her than perceived by others. Then sophomore year, he learnt of her extraterrestrial heritage and that she was a caring person beneath her cold exterior; though he discovered this the hard way. At times, he wished he had left her alone after their first encounter, but had persisted. In his persistence, he'd been told that he was suffocating her, that she wasn't interested in pursuing a relationship, and had managed a relationship with her during the summer of their junior year. Only to unofficially break-up over a technicality, that school was starting up again and that she didn't want to tarnish her reputation. Then she crushed his heart (again) when she shown an obvious intrigue for a guy at least eight years older than her; after she had blantantly told him [Alex] that she "can't think about being with a guy right now."

If Isabel wished to start a relationship this time around, Alex didn't know if he could take the heartache that automatically came with dating an alien.

_I know this face I'm wearing now;  
I've seen this in my eyes.  
And though it feels so great, I'm still afraid__  
That you'll be leaving anytime._

_We've done this once, and then you closed the door.  
Don't let me fall again for nothing more._

Alex heard a knocking on the front door, and stood and straightened his clothes. He strode confidently to the door and opened it to be greeted by a disheveled Isabel. He hastily invited her in and, like a gentleman, took her coat and hung it on one of the hooks on the wall.

When she walked in, he had noticed her limping slightly and a bruise on her face. Sensitively, he asked, "Hey, are you okay?" and involuntarily placed a hand on her shoulder.

She responded by covering his hand with her own and resting her head there briefly. She sighed and said, "We'll discuss it later." She maneuvered to face him, and smiled. "Right now, I just want to see Sweden and eat popcorn."

He returned her smile and began to lead her through the kitchen and Arcadia door. "That can be and is arranged on the back porch." Once in the backyard, he handed her the bowl of popcorn on a small table in front of them and sat down. "Welcome to Whitman Resort. The place to relax, see slide carousels of far away places and listen to the boring narrator describe his lovely excursion to Sweden."

Isabel laughed and sat in the lounge chair next to him. "I think the narrator will be quite entertaining."

"Well, we'll see how 'entertaining' he can be," he grinned and proceeded to the first slide.

After a good hour of seeing slides, laughing and talking, Alex decided to ask her again what was up. "So what happened before you called?" He informed her, "Don't say you don't want to talk about it. You've already used that excuse (though in different words), and it's good to get it off your chest."

Isabel sighed for the second time that night and faced him. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

Alex nodded apprehensively, "Okay..." and inquired, "Does it have to do with Laurie?" Isabel didn't nod exactly, but looked thoughtful.

Isabel spoke, "Not Laurie, per se, but her gravesite."

"What about her grave site?"

"She wasn't just randomly put there, Alex. So Max and Liz had me investigate a bit, and I found out that she was buried there because of the water table. Frasier Woods is unusual because the water is so close to the surface, and the Gad-Gan-Gandarium need a moist environment to grow and inhabit."

Alex sat up, perplexed. "Gan-what?"

"Gandarium. It's these weird blue crystals that Michael found in Laurie's burial plot. I guess they were in our ship when we crash landed. I have no idea what they are for or what they do, so don't ask."

"I won't, but I am curious as to how you obtained this information about Frasier Woods, though."

Isabel grimaced. "I could tell you, but I know bringing _him_ up could ruin tonight and I don't want that." She took a deep breath and continued to tell of her night.

Alex knew exactly who she meant, and thought she was right in not speaking his name. Grant Sorenson was someone which Alex still felt a slight jealously toward, and hoped to never see again. He didn't need the reminder of that awful day in October. Though, he was a bit curious as to why she didn't speak his name. Even if it was for Alex's sake, Isabel was not one for sparing the details.

He listened as she described her, Max and Liz's meeting with Brody, and how she felt guilty for what had happened. (It explained her limp and the bruises on her face.) He felt a panging in his heart when she said she thought she had killed Brody, for a moment. His feelings for her were gradually surfacing. He swallowed hard, endeavoring to decrease the swelling of his heart.

_Don't say you love me, unless forever.  
Don't tell me you need me, if you're not gonna stay.  
Don't give me this feeling, I'll only believe it.  
Make it real, or take it all away._

_I've caught myself smiling alone,  
Just thinking of your voice;  
And dreaming of your touch—it's all too much.  
You know I don't have any choice._

He gazed up at Isabel and saw her staring at him. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing," she recovered quickly, wringing her hands.

"No. Tell me what's on your mind."

"Alex," she paused to compose herself, "I know that we've been through hell this past year, and I know I haven't treated you with the utmost kindness—."

"Stop."

"Alex..."

Alex stood and spoke with his back to her. "Isabel, I can't let you continue. I know where you're going with this, and my answer is no."

Isabel placed the bowl of popcorn on the table and lifted herself out of her seat. "Alex, please... Just hear me out?" she asked sincerely.

Alex closed his eyes and gulped. If he heard her out, he knew he'd end up right back where he was before Sweden. Then again, his curiosity was getting the best of him. He wanted to hear her out, but fear of his old self threatened him. Deciding to risk it, he said, "Go on, but I'm not turning around."

"Okay." She took a deep breath and began, "As I was saying, though I have never treated you with the utmost kindness... I've always felt something for you; no matter what you think. I still do..."

Alex swiftly faced her and inquired, "If you've always felt something, then why didn't you ever reciprocate?" He noticed her lip quiver, desperately wanting to answer, but he plowed on. "And don't start with 'I was scared,' because it's lost all meaning. I've chased after you, followed you like a lovesick puppy for over a year! Do you have any idea what it was like for me to see you with Grant at your birthday party? Or what it's like to be used? And what about last summer? Was that just a fling of sorts?"

By the end of his speech, Alex was breathing heavily and observed tears rolling along Isabel's cheeks. He told himself he wouldn't apologize. If she really wanted him to hear her out, she could answer his questions. The discussion was long overdue, and they were currently getting it all out into the open air.

_Don't say you love me, unless forever.  
Don't tell me you need me, if you're not gonna stay.  
Don't give me this feeling, I'll only believe it.  
Make it real, or take it all away._

_Yeah, yeah, yeah._

_We've done this once, and then you closed the door.  
Don't let me fall again for nothing more._

She whispered, "I can't give you an answer to all your questions, Alex. I know that going with Grant was wrong. I know that I have been selfish and only used you for comfort rather than needing a friend. But the one question I can give you an honest reply... It was the best summer of my life, and I want to have that again. Not just summer this time, but for as long as I can have it. As long as _we_ can have it..."

_Don't say you love me, unless forever.  
Don't tell me you need me, if you're not gonna stay.  
Don't give me this feeling, I'll only believe it.  
Make it real, or take it all away._

Alex couldn't think of a response. His mind was clouded with her answer.

"I guess... I guess I'll go home now. I-I'm sorry." She hurriedly went through the sliding glass door and Alex could hear her gathering her coat and keys.

As he heard the jeep's engine, he rushed to the backyard gate and jumped it. "WAIT!" He saw the jeep come to a halt and ran up to the driver's side.

"Alex?" Isabel questioned. She opened the door and stepped out. "Alex..." She said again, noticing that he only continued to gaze at her.

He placed his hands on either side of her face and gently placed his lips on hers. He rested his forehead against hers and wiped the tears sliding down her face.

"What changed your mind?"

"Your honesty. And though I know you'll never admit you love me now—I'd prefer that you didn't—I know that after this incident, you'll always stay with me. That everything I'm feeling is real." He took her in his arms, and held her. Never wanting to let go.

_(Say you love me...)  
Don't tell me you need me, if you're not gonna stay.  
Don't give me this feeling, I'll only believe it.  
Make it real (make it real), or take it all away.  
Take it all away, take it all away..._


End file.
